Restore by use: Regenerative agriculture can help save water; here is how

Subject : Environment

Context:

According to the UN’s World Water Development Report, 2022, the country extracts 251 cubic km or more than a quarter of the world’s groundwater withdrawal each year; 90 per cent of this water is used for agriculture.

Regenerative agriculture:

Farmers, activists and agricultural research organisations across the world are developing methods of chemical-less farming which use natural inputs and cultivation practices such as crop rotation and diversification, which fall under the wider umbrella of regenerative agriculture.
In India, the Union government is promoting regenerative agriculture with an aim to reduce the application of chemical fertilisers and pesticides and to lower input costs. States like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim and Gujarat too have introduced schemes to promote it.

Concept:

Regenerative agriculture is a holistic farming system that focuses on soil health, food quality, biodiversity improvement, water quality, and air quality.
It is a method of farming that improves the resources it uses, rather than destroying or depleting them.
It is often also referred to as — agroecological farming, alternative agriculture, biodynamic agriculture, carbon farming, inclusive nature farming, conservation agriculture, green agriculture, organic regenerative agriculture and sustainable agriculture.
Regenerative agriculture adheres to the following principles:
- Minimise soil distribution through conservation tillage, mulching
- Diversify crops to replenish nutrients and disrupt pest and disease lifecycles
- Retain soil cover using cover crops, and multi-cropping.
- Integrate livestock, which adds manure to the soil and serves as a source of carbon sinks.

Benefits:

Improves soil health through practices that increase soil organic matter, biota and biodiversity.
Enhance water holding capacity and carbon sequestration.
Reduces erosion, and facilitates retention and nutrient cycling.
Provides a habitat for diverse species and is beyond sustainability.
Builds resilience and mitigates the effects of extreme weather caused by a changing climate.
ICAR-IARI and other agricultural institutes have conducted multiple studies to show that these and other practices like systematic rice intensification — a method in which seeds are spaced at wider distances and organic manure is applied to improve yields — changing crop system patterns, leaving residue on the field and micro-irrigation lead to better water conservation.